In Iraq, Soldiers Become Gamers During Down Time
In Iraq, Soldiers Become Gamers During Down Time
February 24, 2008
Weekend America reporter Adam Allington, on assignment with U.S. troops in Anbar Province, reports that video games are a very popular leisure time activity.Video game sales are way up [among soldiers]... In a converted Iraqi Republican Guard barracks, Sergeant David Carr and several of his buddies are huddled around a hard-to-find Nintendo Wii.
"We play it when we get off of work almost every night," Carr says... At the moment however, Carr isn't playing a shoot-em-up game. Right now he's got something a little more relaxing, "Hooked! Real Motion Fishing."
GP: This story reminds me that the Fun For Our Troops non-profit organization works to send games and systems to our military personnel serving overseas.
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Posted 03/16/10 at 09:12pm
chadachada321: Parents were divorced, and each parent thought that the other was taking the child.
chadachada321: Parents were divorced, and each parent thought that the other was taking the child.
Posted 03/16/10 at 09:11pm
chadachada321: Meanwhile, in local news...Child left by parents at birthday party in Caesarland and forgotten...
chadachada321: Meanwhile, in local news...Child left by parents at birthday party in Caesarland and forgotten...
Posted 03/16/10 at 04:14pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:Ya but the organ grinder got tired of all the "fluffing"...
ZippyDSMlee: JD:Ya but the organ grinder got tired of all the "fluffing"...
Posted 03/16/10 at 11:45am
JDKJ: Have you tried partnering with an organ grinder? If you do a good job, passerbys will fawn over you and throw change in your tin cup.
JDKJ: Have you tried partnering with an organ grinder? If you do a good job, passerbys will fawn over you and throw change in your tin cup.
Posted 03/16/10 at 10:59am
ZippyDSMlee: JD is jsut pissy cuse he is not getting enough attnetion...hey neither am I damnit!!!!
ZippyDSMlee: JD is jsut pissy cuse he is not getting enough attnetion...hey neither am I damnit!!!!
Posted 03/16/10 at 10:18am
Valdearg: @Cminer: LMAO. I was about to say the same thing. The typical Youtube comment implies they've been at it for years.
Valdearg: @Cminer: LMAO. I was about to say the same thing. The typical Youtube comment implies they've been at it for years.
Posted 03/16/10 at 10:17am
CMiner: JDKJ: That happened years ago. Look at your average forum poster/youtube commentor/etc for proof.
CMiner: JDKJ: That happened years ago. Look at your average forum poster/youtube commentor/etc for proof.
Posted 03/16/10 at 10:16am
JDKJ: BREAKING: Goodall Institute for Primate Research teaches chimpazee how to type and post to the Internet.
JDKJ: BREAKING: Goodall Institute for Primate Research teaches chimpazee how to type and post to the Internet.
Posted 03/16/10 at 08:39am
ZippyDSMlee: Afirejar:Left you a warm pile in the Venezuela/censorship article. :P
ZippyDSMlee: Afirejar:Left you a warm pile in the Venezuela/censorship article. :P
Posted 03/15/10 at 04:05pm
Andrew Eisen: I'm still here and I'm doing a lot of behind the scenes work (as time permits me). But it's true, I've only written one piece under the new GP but if that Facebook/JT bit is the last thing I write for the site, I’d be okay with that.
Andrew Eisen: I'm still here and I'm doing a lot of behind the scenes work (as time permits me). But it's true, I've only written one piece under the new GP but if that Facebook/JT bit is the last thing I write for the site, I’d be okay with that.
Posted 03/15/10 at 04:01pm
ZippyDSMlee: I suppose its not inane enough for petes muses*giggles*
ZippyDSMlee: I suppose its not inane enough for petes muses*giggles*
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:55pm
PHX Corp: It had the Video Games tag on it, I thought that it had been a video game law that was concerning it
PHX Corp: It had the Video Games tag on it, I thought that it had been a video game law that was concerning it
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:54pm
JDKJ: And what happened to "Senior GP Correspondent, Andrew Eisen, reporting from San Diego [and who has a better finger on the pulse of GP's readership than some others]?" Huh? Did he fall victim to the Night of the Long Knives?
JDKJ: And what happened to "Senior GP Correspondent, Andrew Eisen, reporting from San Diego [and who has a better finger on the pulse of GP's readership than some others]?" Huh? Did he fall victim to the Night of the Long Knives?
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:53pm
Andrew Eisen: No, but my one example was not meant to cover the entire spectrum. Besides, multiplayer is a big part of video games.
Andrew Eisen: No, but my one example was not meant to cover the entire spectrum. Besides, multiplayer is a big part of video games.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:50pm
Andrew Eisen: PHX Corp - Are you referring to AB 847? I haven't read the bill but the summary doesn't appear to apply to video games.
Andrew Eisen: PHX Corp - Are you referring to AB 847? I haven't read the bill but the summary doesn't appear to apply to video games.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:49pm
DarkSaber: 2 mediocre games do not "a big part of video games" make.
DarkSaber: 2 mediocre games do not "a big part of video games" make.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:49pm
JDKJ: I suspect that'll fall victim to the "pass." Wrong side of the fence. It's North Korea we aren't supposed to like.
JDKJ: I suspect that'll fall victim to the "pass." Wrong side of the fence. It's North Korea we aren't supposed to like.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:48pm
DarkSaber: Although, following the "MW2 Made Lots of Money" excuse for a story, GP would be hard pressed to justify WHY they passed on it.
DarkSaber: Although, following the "MW2 Made Lots of Money" excuse for a story, GP would be hard pressed to justify WHY they passed on it.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:47pm
Andrew Eisen: DS - Not necessarily. See recent Ubisoft stories.
Andrew Eisen: DS - Not necessarily. See recent Ubisoft stories.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:47pm
Andrew Eisen: Zip - Or it will and GP hasn't had a chance in the last couple hours to get to it yet. Or yeah, maybe he’ll pass on it.
Andrew Eisen: Zip - Or it will and GP hasn't had a chance in the last couple hours to get to it yet. Or yeah, maybe he’ll pass on it.
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Comments
Just to be clear, I wasnt suggesting that it was a good idea. I just wonder how the story would have been written by a journalist had they been playing such titles.
I would have expected a "Troops unwind on virtual death simulator" headline.
No soldier plays Shooters right after combat. It screws with your mind.
That depends on you and on what happened to you.
A lot.
I played Final Fantasy. It was nearly as fucked up. And if playing COD4 sends you into a relapse, you have deep problems and a weak psyche to start with. I love that game. But what I think is the best, and this is just me now, is when I play on XBOX live and end up playing with 11 year old retarded kids who can't stop rapping into the mic long enough to shoot someone, and then talk a lot of shit when you call them out on the level of suck they brought to the table.